In the art of heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment, there has been a continuing need and desire to provide a system and method for controlling air flow to and from an enclosed space wherein the humidity level is controlled to the desires of the occupants of the space. In this regard controls have been developed which include a humidity sensor and an associated controller providing for adding moisture to the air flow stream or reducing the humidity level by over cooling and reheating the air, for example, and by operation of humidity providing or dehumidification processes and equipment.
However, a common problem in the art of forced air flow air conditioning or so-called cooling equipment, in particular, is control of the indoor air circulating fan or blower to avoid evaporation of condensate collecting on the cooling coil or heat exchanger and in any condensate collecting pans which may be interposed in the air flow stream. In other words, in many air conditioning control schemes, the indoor fan operation cycle may reintroduce moisture into the air flowstream that has been extracted during a cooling cycle of operation if the fan, for example, operates in accordance with a delayed shut-off control scheme or if the fan is operated in a continuous “on” mode. Accordingly, there has been a need for a process and equipment wherein the humidity level in the enclosed space being controlled can be more precisely monitored and controlled to avoid inadvertent or unwanted increase in the humidity of the controlled space. It is to these ends that the present invention has been developed.